Survivors of 2009 attack to revisit Pakistan after eight years

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had banned Pakistan from hosting an international game after militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 which injured some players and officials. The bus was attacked when the teams were travelling towards the Gaddafi Stadium for the match. However, the team with a few players and officials who survived that attack are set to revisit the city after 8 long years in an attempt to revive the International cricket in Pakistan.

Sri Lanka will become the first major team to visit Pakistan since 2009 and it would mark a huge occasion for them when they play the third and final T20I in Lahore. Though many of the senior players have refused to tour, the youngsters have shown enough courage to earn their place in the side for the T20I series. Earlier Thisara Perera who has been appointed the captain for the three-match series was the only Sri Lankan player to tour Pakistan during the World XI series in September.

It’s a great honour for me

Asanka Gurusinha and Hashan Tillakaratne who were with the team during the terrorist attack in 2009 are now Sri Lanka’s team manager and batting coach respectively. Ahsan Raza who was severely injured eight years ago will be officiating on the field on Sunday in the third T20 International. He needed an emergency surgery to repair a collapsed lung and damaged liver after the attack.

“It’s a great honour that I will be umpiring in the match which is bringing Sri Lanka back to Lahore. They have set their every fear aside… their tour will have a great impact on the revival of cricket in Pakistan,” he told AFP.

The skipper Thisara Perera had no concerns over the security and was happy to travel Pakistan. “I am really satisfied with the security, so no problems there,” he said.